Everybody longs for a purpose in this life. Philosophers have brainstormed on the meaning of life and have arrived at different answers. Good people love to do good deeds and help others in need. Even seemingly evil people know how to achieve their purpose. In some cases, having a negative purpose is better than having none at all. If you do not know your purpose, you are simply breathing in and breathing out. Existence. That is all you ever have. You do not have a meaningful life. Living is way different from existing!
In pursuing your purpose, you need to determine where your passions lie. In doing so, you can know where to focus your energies and not waste time trying to do and achieve everything all at once. Life is too short to achieve everything, not to mention, it is physically impossible to achieve every single thing that you put your mind to. This is why you need to rediscover your passions since these will point you to your purpose.
Go back to your childhood dreams. Although much has changed since your childhood days, your dreams are still there buried somewhere inside your heart. There may be a lot of things that have covered it. But if you truly engage yourself in digging more deeply in your heart, you will find out that those dreams are still intact even if they have been transformed through the years.
List down the people you admire. The people you admire and treat as role models also play an important role for you to rediscover your passions. Although these people may be very different from who you are, they have qualities and traits that are mirrored in you. After all, the people that you would come to admire are people who share some traits with you.
Understand what your skills and talents are. Your education through the classroom, through the books that you have read, and the experiences you went through molded you into who you are now. Along the way, you have also picked up skills and talents that help you deal with the things that you want to do and accomplish. By taking note of these skills and talents, you are creating an inventory of tools that you will bring with you in the journey to your purpose.
Finally, you should understand that the journey is the purpose. Even if you achieve what your heart has been longing for, the journey will mold you and create changes in your heart.
There have been times in my life when I have sat down and wondered: What is the meaning of life?
Why are we here?
Is this what my life is going to be?
Is this all there is to life?
Who will remember me when I am gone?
Sometimes my answers to these questions were not very positive. Sometimes my answers were downright negative and involved cussing. Sometime I felt helpless and sorry for myself. I even had a pity party.
Then I thought: What is a matter with you? You should be thankful for all of your blessings. I would start reciting old sayings, like "I felt sorry for myself because I had no shoes, then I met a man who had no feet."
Would any reader who HAS NOT experienced at least one of these thoughts, please stand up and announce yourself. If you stood up, you will lie about other things too. We all, without exception, have questioned our existence and purpose in life at one time or another. Welcome to the club of self-doubt, you are a charter member by simply being human.
What is it that will give you true—not temporary—happiness here during your life on planet Earth? Accomplishment? Money? Notice? The perfect soul mate? I have had them all and still did not find permanent happiness and peace of mind.
There is much in my background to suggest that I should be happy with the blessings I have had, and I certainly am to a degree, but I was never totally satisfied with myself and my purpose in life.
To find my reason for being, I was forced to answer in writing these three questions:
Who am I?
What am I meant to do here?
What am I trying to do with my life?
Finding answers to these questions and putting them into writing was not an easy task, but doing so has make me happier than I have ever been in life. Why? Because now I understand my place in the universe and am comfortable with myself and my role in life beyond being a husband, father and grandfather to my family.
After much reflection and soul searching, here is what I found about myself:
Who am I? I am a survivor, and a man of integrity who became a professional writer.
There are three key words in this statement—survivor, integrity, writer. I am a survivor because I grew up in a very dysfunctional family. As a man of integrity, I learned early on that I could not stand lying, cheating and stealing. In the Bible, Proverbs, Chapter 20 Verse 7 says: "The just man walketh in his integrity; his children are blessed after him." I am that man, and have always been that man. As a writer, I became aware of my ability to communicate with the written word early on and have used my God-given gift to become a professional writer.
What am I meant to do here? Serve others.
Being hard-headed, I spent more than 6 decades of my life waiting for God to reveal to me some great purpose for my life. Finally, thankfully, slowly, I came to realize without any great revelation that there was really only one reason for me to be here and that was to serve others and not myself. This epiphany of personal growth on my part has given my continual happiness for the first time in my life.
What am I trying to do with my life? I am using my writing skills to bring knowledge, understanding and ideas to life that will encourage and motivate people to achieve their true potential.
Perhaps Albert Schweitzer said it best: "I don't know what your destiny will be, but one thing I do know: the only ones among you who will be really happy are those who have sought and found how to serve."
Both Cassidy Williams & Ed Bagley are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Cassidy Williams has sinced written about articles on various topics from Jewelry, Pearls and self improvement and motivation. The One Question is a website that helps people discover their purpose in life. It discusses and lets you find yours.. Cassidy Williams's top article generates over 1000 views. to your Favourites.
Ed Bagley has sinced written about articles on various topics from Disease & illness, Promotional Advertising and The Republican Party. Read my other commentary on"Why Benjamin Franklin Was So Awesome""A Little Learning Is a Dangerous Thing, Drink Deep or Taste Not the Pierian Spring""Secrets Men Don't Want Women to Know - The 4 Realities in a Man's World - Part 3""Clason's 'The Richest M. Ed Bagley's top article generates over 1220000 views. to your Favourites.